Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-27
DAILY HERALD.
VENTURA COUNTY.
Its Location and Remark
able Features.
EXCELLENT SOIL AND WATER
Rivers of Water and Oil, Fine
Fruits, Mines, Climate, ana
Place for Home Seekers.

d excursion will pass to-morro" iioh sA-s
citv. is situated northwest OF Los An
geles. with its central point about forty
miles distant. It is bounded on the
north and east by Kern and Los Angeles
counties. on the south by the Pacihc
ocean and on the west by Santa Barbara
county. 1t has among its possessions
the islands of Anacapa and San Nicolas
in its ocean front. These islands are
used for pasturage, but are favorite re-
sorts for seals, sea lions, offers and sea
fod in. abundance. The area of the
county is l,296. 900 acres. The Santa
Clara river. starting in Los Angeles
county, passes through Ventura from
northeast to southwest, through the en-
tire length of the county. This noble
stream has many fine tributaries-the
santa Paula, Sespe, Piru and Others.
The Ventura river has its source in
the San Rafael mountains, and flows
south, fed by many fine stfiuents, till 1t
discharges itself into the Pacific ocean.
The points Of discharge of the two rivers
are about six miles apart. These two
streams furnish abundant facilities for
irrigation where that is needed; neces.
sity that is not general in that county.
Every important ranch or large farm
has copious springs of purest water.
In the valleys and csilons are large
forests of cottonwood and oak timber
for fuel. The soil is very rich and es-
pesially adapted to the growth of cereals.
Barley and wheat in Ventura county
reach perfection and yield the most sur
prisipe crops. Corn is also grown in
large quantities in the valleys, and yields
about 100 bushels to the acre. Limabeans
there make a lmonstrous yield and all
leguminous crops are great and reward.
ing. Some of the farmers have paid for
their lands from single crop of lima or
bayou beans. Apples, pears, peaches,
nectarines, prunes, plums, walnuts, al.
monds, apricots, figs, lemons, oranges,
limes, loquats, guavas, perslmmons and
all northern fruits thrive well The lem.
on, orange and lime thrive best at dis
tance from the ocean, in the beautiful
interior valleys.
The climate on the coast is about the
same as that of Los Angeles, with tenn
perature ranging from AZ to SIS degrees,
with an average of about 5S degrees.
The interior valleys are warmer in
summer, and afford fine climate for
oranges and small fruits. The popula-
ton is aow about II, 900, of which 1000
are native Californians.
The soil is varied; in some places it is
adobe, but is generally rich loan, with
here and there gravel and sandy surface
soil and clay subsoil. The warm current
of the Pacific, the Kuro Siwo, passes so
near the shore that the temperature of
the coast is abeut the same as at Santa
Monica, in this county.
No cyclones or sunstrokes vex the
happy residents of this favored county.
The town of San Buenaventura, the
county seat, is situated at the mouth of
the Ventura river, on the coast. 1t is
laid out with broad, straight streets,
crossing at right angles, and ornamented
with that prince of shade trees, the
beautiful pepper, with its matchless
foliage, ruddy fruit and fragrant bios
SONS.
The town contains about 5000 inhab.
itants, and the number is rapidly in.
creasing. 1t has lodges of Masons, Odd
Fellows, Knights OF Pythias, A. D. U.
W., Good Templars, American Legion
of Honor, Order of Eastern Star and all
other societies of benevolence that a
community needs. The water for the
town is brought in pipes from the
Ventura river, and is of excellent
quality. There are fine school build.
l. %xxra ,fxr-H aSA
besides Touring mill and hotels for the
accommodation of visitors to this beau
tiful town, which has a most lovely
situation overlooking the sea and sur
rounded by mountains in the back
ground.
Hueneme, twtlve miles away on the
coast, if a very lively town, well sup
piled with stores and shops, fine
wharf, warehouses for the storage of
grain, lumber yards, meat markets,
schoolhouses, public hall and library.
is United States port of delivery and
has good lighthouse.
1t is the largest shipping point for
barley south of San Francisco. The
town is supplied with water from arte.
sian wells. The water is distributed
free in iron pipes through the town. A
line of railway has been surveyed from
Hueneme to Los Angeles through the
Simi Las Posas and San Fernando
ranchos, and nearly all the territory has
recently passed into the hands of Los
Angeles and Hueneme purchasers. The
Las Posas rancho contains 26, 900 acres
and the Simi SO, 900 acres, with fine op-
portunities for artesian wells in many
localities. All the ranches have good
outlets to market towns.
The great irrigating ditch or canal
from the Santa Clara river at Saticoy is
twenty miles in length, and furnishes
bountiful supply of water for irrigation.
Santa Paula is the principal interior
town of Ventura county, and is very
important place of business. 1t is a
great center for the fruit interest, and
has made fine displays of fruit at all the
leading fruit exhibitions of Southern
California. 1t is also famous for its Pc
troleum shipments, and with pipe line
to San Buenaventura and another to
Newhall, sends daily about 700 barrels
of petroleum to market. This, at q
valuation of $2 per barrel, would make
a return Of $500, 900 annually, and yet
tne OIL ueVeiopiucut mas oui just pcBuH.
1t is quite likely that the 700 barrels
daily will soon be increased to 1000 bar.
rels. With the fine fruits around Santa
Paula and the rich yield of petroleum,
that town bids fair to be great trade
center in the near future. The oranges,
apricots and olives Of Santa Paula are of
the finest description. Beyond Santa
Paula westward on the Southern Pacific
Railroad. is the prosperous town of
Saticoy. in rich and highly productive
agricultural region. This town has a
bright future before IT, Near Saticoy is
the town of New Jerusalem, and all who
own land there think is much better
than old Jerusalem. All who have seen
both localities will endorse the opinion |
of the Ventura men.
The precious metals in Ventura ooun.
ty are abundant, but the mines and pla-
ceres have not been developed to any
great extent.
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